Concrete-road form



Sept. 9. 1924. Y 1,507,750

c. M. MoLsTAD CONCRETE ROAD FORM Filed nay 9. 192s LNHo/s md 24/ fb/H' A TTRNES "mui,-

Patented Sept. 9, 1924. j

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;`

CONRAD MAGNUS MOLSTAD, 0F FOSSTON, MINNESTA.

CONCRETE-ROAD FO'RM.

AppIicaton led May 9,

repeated use, and which may be `moved from y one job to another, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrange-y ments herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a road form of the character described that is exceedingly strong and rigid by virtue of its tubular construction which renders lateral warpage by excessive'strain practically impossible.A

A further object of my invention is Vto provide a road. form of the character described in which the ends of the tubular sections are reenforced to preventk distortion where the strain upon the forms is the greatest. i 1' A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a road form of the character described in which the hollow sectionsv are closedat their outer ends, thereby precluding the possibility of the accumulation of concrete and the like within the form.- y

A further object of my inventionisto provide a road form of the character described'in which individual sections may be removed after the form has been set, by merely loosening the adjacent stakes. f v-Axfurther lobject of my invention is to providea road form of the character described in which novel means for supporting the endsof the form is employed, .which permits the lateral adjustment of the forms relative to one another without sacrificing `the rigidity of support which is an absolute essential characteristic to the successful functioning of the forms. This .novel supporting structure also permits the pitch of vone form relative tothe other to be varied as in paving an up or down grade stretch. i

`A further object of my invention is to -provide a road form of the character described that is extremely simple in construction, that may be quickly and easily setzor 1 plication, in Which- 1923. Serial No. 637,853.

taken up, and which is thoroughly practical for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly vpointed out in the appended claims. l

My invention vis illustrated inthe 'accomf panying drawings, forming part Aof this* ap- Figure lisa side elevation of an embodiment of my invention with a portion thereof broken away,

Figure 2' is an enlarged sectional along the line 2-2 of Figure'v l,

View.

Figure 3 isv a top plan view ofthe form supporting horse,

Figure l is a fragmentary bottom view A of one of the sections, andL y lFigure 5 is a top view of a portion ofthe mechanism illustrated in Figure 1.`

In carrying out my invention, 'I make, use of a plurality of substantially tubulars'ections, three of which l have indicated at l, 2, and 3, in Figure lof the drawing. tubular sections have the yappearance in cross section of a trapezoi'd, and are formed-from Aa single sheet of steel having itsadjacent edges l and 5 overlapped and kelectrically welded to one another. The overlappingv portions 4 and 5 are on the base or the larger of the two parallel sides (see Figure 2). Fach of the tubularV sections has an angular :recess 6 cut in the bottom wall thereof at each end (see Figure 4). f l.

`A saddle comprising a sheet vof steel'fbent laterally to form the interior sidewalls andk top wall of the tubular forms is inserted withinthe forms attheir outer ends. The

These saddle is constructed of a steel strip that is thicker at its outermost end than at its innermost end V(see Figure land 'the dotted representations in Figures'vl and. 5)(` The three sides of the 'saddle are indicatedlat 9,

10, and ll in Figure Zand theouteredge of the saddle is flush with the outervjedge of the form. The saddle s0 formed is "electrically welded to the innersides of the tubu- -lar sections so that the saddles virtually form' an` integral part 'of' the sections. In

order that the tubular sections may be eninner edges of the saddle as shown in Figure 1. This closure is not essential, but aids greatly in prolonging the life of the forms and lends somewhat to the strength of the saddle.

One of the most important advantages of the provision of this saddle, besides its intended functions, is that the relatively thick outer end of the saddle greatly reenforces the outer ends of the forms. This is of utmost importance, since the strain upon the form at this point is at its maximum and it is apparent that any distortion of the ends of the form would bar the successful operation of the complete form.

Means for supporting the sections 1, 2, and 3, and others with their ends abutting one another as in forming a continuous road form, is provided in a device which I choose to call a horse. This horse is constructed of a flat steel plate 12 somewhat longer than it is wide and having a circular opening 13 therethrough adjacent the outer side 14 thereof and midway between the ends 15 of the plate. A second steel plate 16 having an opening therein in exact registration with the opening 13 is electrically welded to the plate 12 (see Figures 2 and 3). This plate 16 has an integral upwardly extend ing member 17 fashioned in the shape of a truncated pyramid and disposed with its vertical surface 18 parallel with the inner side surface 19 of the late 12.

Means for xing the orses against movement relative to the ground as in preparing the horses for the support ofthe sections, is provided in a plurality of stakes, one for each of the openings 13 through the superimposed plates 12 and 16. These stakes have a round body member 2O and are sharp at their lower ends to pierce the clay or soil into which they are to be driven, and a head portion 21 having a substantially flat top and two fiat side walls. The remaining two side walls are rounded, as shown at 22, to facilitate the engagement of the head with the adjacent wall of the sections when in place.

From the foregoing description of the va.- rious parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. It should be noted at this time from an inspection of Figure 1 that my improved road form necessitates the use of only one stake for each section, there being one horse for each section employed, each of which supports the adjacent and abutting ends of two sections, and that therefore I have reduced the number of supporting members and associate fastening stakes to a minimum, together with the reduction in the cost of laying and setting of the form.

Inlaying my improved road form, it is necessary rst to place the horses at the proper distances from one another at the edge of the road in the positions indicated by the survey. The stakes are then driven through the openings 13 of the plates 12 yand 16 and into the earth. The stakes are driven only partially into the earth at this time. The next step in applying my improved road form is to place the sections on the horses so that their abutting ends overlie the exact center of the upwardly extending portion 17 of the horse. The outer peripheral edge of the portion 9 of the saddle will therefore bear directly upon the top wall 23 of the portion 17, and the peripheral edges of the portions 10 and 11 will contact with the vertical wall 18 and the front sloping walln 24 of the portion 17.

It is then merely necessary to `drive the stakes so that the adjacent curved walls 22 of the head 21 are moved into close engagement with the adjacent sides of the tubular sections.

Let us assume that the form to be used is for a curved portion of the road and that therefore the sections must be disposed at an angle from one another to conform with the required bend in the finished road. My improved road form is particularly well fitted for such use in that they rigidity of support is not sacrificed to the smallest extent by a movement of the forms relative to one another. stood from an inspection of the dotted line position of the saddle 8 as viewed in Figures 4 and 5.

Let us assume also that one of the sections must be removed after the form has been completed for some reason, such as the movement of a truck or other vehicle from the road bed to the side. In the ordinary road fornrconstruction, it is necessary to break the connections between the form by either lifting two of the adjacent forms,

This may be more clearly under# which ordinarily interlock with one another to obtain the rigidity which I obtain with the use of my improved form, or proceed with a difhcult and lengthy operation in disassembling the supporting mechanism. In my present road form, 1t is merely necessary to loosen the stakes adjacent vto the section to be removed, and to vertically lift the sec tions out of engagement with the horses.

I claim: 1. A device of the character describe comprising a hollow tubular form, saddle members disposed within said form at each end thereof and having their supportingsurfaces at a higher plane at their inner ends than at the outer ends of said saddle, and horses lfor supporting said saddles.

2. A device of the character described comprising a hollow tubular form, saddle members disposed within said form at each end thereof and having their supportingy surfaces at a higher plane at their inner ends than at the outer ends of said Saddle,

horses for supporting said saddles, and stakes for securing said horses against movement on a supporting surface and for preventing the removal of said form Afrom said horses. f a

3. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of tubular forms arranged With abutting ends, saddles disposed Within said forms at each end and arranged to close the ends of said forms, and metal horses arranged to be fixed to the supporting surfaces and to support said saddles,

whereby said forms may be fixed against ifnovement relative to the supporting surace. 4, In a device of the character described, a saddle arranged to be fixed atthe end of a road form, said saddle having inclined support engaging surfaces, and a metal horse arranged to contact the lowermost of said' inclinedy supporting surfaces on said saddle, whereby said saddle may pivot vertically or laterally relative to said horse. g CONRAD MAGNUS MOLSTAD. 

